Mastering The Closet: An IKEA Pax Hack

The closet. It’s not just a place for clothes to hang, it’s a place for inspiration each and every morning. From boss babe to weekend warrior, you set the tone for the day in your closet by what you choose to wear. Such an influential space deserves to be more than a white boring box… don’t you think?

With dreams of these pin-worthy master closets, and a budget that probably wouldn’t even cover the lighting fixtures, I set forth on my master closet makeover!

Now it’s not the biggest walk in closet, but it’s definitely enough space. There are two other smaller closets in our bedroom that my husband uses, so this is all mine. Before I jump in, you must see the uninspiring hot mess it was before:

Clearly, the only good thing about this before picture is my leopard pants (trust me, they’re great.)

The issues: The existing wire shelving layout didn’t maximize the space to it’s fullest potential. Some of my longer dresses hit the floor, there was un-utilized space beneath where my pants hung, the space on top was hard to keep neat and the “U” configuration made it feel smaller than it really was.

The “Dream Closet” plan: Run two built-ins down either side, floor to ceiling, leaving the back wall empty. I needed hanging space for both long dresses and tops, but also a good amount of space for folded sweaters and pants. I also wanted to have a couple drawers for things like tank tops, leggings, bathing suits and items purchased that I want to hide from the hubs. HAHA! (Note: My closet did not need complete shoe, jewelry or handbag storage. I covered that in my office!)

Must haves: Crown molding, a pop of color, a furry rug and most important… a chandelier.

The budget: I budgeted $750 to get my dream closet done, which – in the world of dream closets – it’s unfortunately not much at all. Having custom closets installed was WAY out of budget, between $3,000 – $5,000. I explored some semi-custom solutions which were – in comparison – on the more affordable side, but still in the $1,500 – $2,000 range. I considered the upgraded closet systems found at the big box stores. They fell within budget ($500 – $700), but they just didn’t feel custom enough and didn’t utilize the space the way I envisioned. I also played with the “from scratch” idea, which could be inexpensive (somewhere between $100 – $300), but I wasn’t completely confident in my carpentry skills. That’s when old faithful came through for me… IKEA.

The solution: The Ikea Pax System. Designed to be freestanding wardrobes with tons of customizable features, they are the perfect specimen to be hacked into a custom closet! My closet did not have great depth, so the 13.75″ deep Pax wardrobes were ideal. I wanted to maximize the space floor to ceiling, so their 93 1/8″ height was fantastic – leaving just enough room for 5″ crown moulding. Their standard width of 39 1/4″ meant I could fit two units side by side perfectly… IF my closet was two darn inches deeper! ARRGGGGHH!

Was I going to let 2″ stop me? Heck no! I was going to modify one Pax unit on each side to be 2″ shorter. The Ikea Pax Wardrobe Planner allowed me to roughly see my vision:

Over the course of a three day weekend, my loving husband (begrudgingly) helped me paint, assemble, modify and beautify my closet.

I started by ripping off the baseboards on the front and back walls so I could use every inch of space to get the units nice and flush. This also allowed me to get a more built in look as later on, I put new baseboards over the units. (Note – Pax units DO NOT have the same cut outs on the back bottom that Billy bookcases do – to go over small baseboards and sit flush on the wall.) I painted the visible walls of the closet a beautiful dusty purple – Benjamin Moore, Excalibur Gray.

I left two of the units full width, one on each side. Those units would house the pants hanger and drawers as those accessories can’t be modified. I used my 12″ miter saw to cut the other two units down. The portion I cut off was used as a template to recreate the holes on the end of my resized piece, allowing me to put the units together as intended. I used drill bits that matched the hole sizes, then used a forstner bit to recreate the cam holes. I also used the saw to cut down the shelves and a hacksaw to cut down the hanging bars.

Speaking of hanging bars, the 13″ deep Pax units are not designed to hold a traditional hanging bar. I believe this is because they wouldn’t be able to support the weight if they were freestanding. Being that my Pax units were going to be sandwiched wall to wall, and secured to said walls, I knew this wouldn’t be an issue. To secure the bars, I used one of the predrilled holes (meant for shelving supports) and then made a new one of my own.

But before I installed those, we needed to assemble the Pax units. Given how tall they are and the tight space of my closet, they needed to be assembled in place. Once all four were up I connected the pairs together, ensured they were flush and plum, then secured them to the walls.

After installing the bars, shelves and drawers I added 5″ crown molding to the tops and 4″ baseboards to the bottoms with my favorite tool ever, my Ryobi Air Strike. I bought a sample of Valspar “Dove White” which is very, very close to Ikea white. The sample size was more than enough to give the trim two coats of paint. At this point, it was really coming together.

But because nothing is ever easy, I needed to move the junction box for the light on the ceiling. The dope who originally installed the box put it completely off center… and that just isn’t acceptable for a dream closet.

So I moved it and hung my oh-so-perfect flush mount chandelier that I scored off Amazon for just $128. A very high end look for quite a reasonable price. Moving electrical and hanging lights are whole tutorials in themselves (and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing!) so we’ll just leave it at that.

To help disguise the hole I had to patch on the ceiling I decided to add another decorative touch. This pre-made picture frame molding panel fit PERFECTLY around my lighting fixture and adds an additional detail that I absolutely adore! #CeilingJewelry

I also added these inexpensive, but absolutely gorgeous glass pulls to the drawers. They add just a touch more sparkle and also serve a purpose. But who cares about function… it’s about the bling!

Hi I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m also trying to install a hanging clothes rack on a 13inch wardrobe and was wondering if you just used the ikea hanging rack and made your own holes or did you make your own completely? Thank you so much!

Thanks! I actually intentionally did not post the sizes of the bits to avoid confusion. The Ikea hardware can slightly differ in Pax units based on size, country of manufacture, even year to year models. The only way to ensure success is to measure them yourself.

Thank you for sharing such great detail. I am trying to design IKEA PAX Closet and have few questions:

1. What is the depth you choose? 13 or 22 inches?
2. My Closet is 72 inch long side, 42 deep and has 23 inch wide on short side as rest of the space is for closet door. I am not sure if just do 2 units on long side [39.5 and 29.5] or do combination of [39.5 + 29.5 + corner unit]. Your inputs will be helpful.

Hi I have he same exact depth for my closet and was thinking of doing 23″ depth on one side and the 13″ deep on the other. Do you have the measurements for how much space you have left with your clothes having the way they do. Specifically I’m asking, with hanging the clothes the way you did how many inches are left from end of hanger to end of opposite hanger?

So mine is just slightly narrower than this. Do you feel like you’re right at the cusp of having enough space between the two sides or would it be fine if it was even narrower? That said, my doorway to my closet is right against the wall so I might be blocking an entryway if I put anything against that wall but it’s still worth considering. Thanks!

So the Pax units come out to just about where my doorway is. I have maybe another 1.5″ on either side that could be played with, but anymore than that and I think it would begin to feel too narrow. Not sure of your exact closet dimensions/layout, but maybe you just line one side with units and do some more narrow open shelving for folded goods on the other? Hope this helps!

Love this! What did you use to fasten the PAX units together and then fasten them to the wall? I know they do come with some wall fasteners, but nothing to hold the units flush to one another. Mine are on carpet and don’t sit flush nicely.

Thanks! Mine are on wood, so first I got them as even and level as possible. To secure them to the wall I added a piece of scrap wood to the wall behind the units then used the fasteners Ikea provided and drilled into that wood piece. To keep them flush together I measured the width of the sides of the Pax when pressed up against each other and purchased screws in a size that would go through both and not come out the other side. I used one of the predrilled holes (meant for shelving supports) as my starting hole. I did this once at the top of the unit and once towards the bottom. If you’re having trouble with them staying level on carpet consider going over to your local hardware/lumber store and getting thin plywood to put underneath them. They’ll cut it down to size for you and all you’ll have to do is tuck it under the units before you fasten them up. The plywood should just sink into the carpet and you wouldn’t even see it. Hope this helps a bit!

great job! I am having trouble designing my closet and this is my first ikea purchase! I think that your long hang with folding space design is what I am trying to replicate, do you have the dimensions? I have been measuring my existing closet (i am moving) and I feel like i am doing everything wrong. How do you know how much space to leave for dresses and shelves?Can you help? thank you!

Sorry for the delayed reply here! To figure the space you’ll need for long hanging, take your longest item and measure it on the hanger. Ideally, add 2″ to that so it doesn’t drag and that should be about the right height for your long hanging items. Keep in mind, this is custom. So if you figure that measurement, but realize then you wouldn’t be able to reach the pole, make some manual adjustments. As far as the folded space, I was just going for an even look so I took the total space I had and divided it by how many shelves I wanted to get to get the result I did. Hope this helps!

I’m with Charlene, very awesome and very inspiring! I am having trouble finding the 13″ PAX now. I most definitely cannot use the 23″ depth. The IKEA website is not showing the shallow one. Guess I will have to call. I also want to say the ceiling jewelry was the highlight for me. Brilliant Idea!!! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks, Mary! Yeah, Ikea doesn’t make them easy to find on their website. If you type in PAX in the search bar on top, then look for the units that are 13 3/4″ deep you’ll see them. I just looked myself. Hope this helps.

Hi! I know I’m late to the party on this post, but I just found your project and LOVE what you’ve done with your closet! I’m trying to figure out how to do almost exactly the same. I want to make sure I have the break down of what you bought.
It looks like you got 9 shelves and 3 drawers. Is that correct or do the drawers come with a shelf that covers them. Also, where did you get the rods for the closet?
Thank you!

Hello – You’re never late to the party when it’s an Ikea hack party 🙂 Thank you for the kind words! I have 10 shelves and 3 drawers. I placed shelves above the hanging rods so if items from the top fell I wouldn’t be fishing them out of the back bottom. The drawers do need a shelf to cover them, I’ve included that in my count. The rods are Pax rods designed for the deeper Pax units. I explain how/why this works in the post above.
Hope this helps!

I’m new to shopping IKEA. Would you have the link for the drawers and shelves? I’m not having luck searching. Maybes it’s me? Pax drawers and Pax shelves, nothing shows lol. I’m sure I’m missing something

Their website is a little weird to navigate. Just type in “Pax” into the search bar and almost all the individual Pax pieces come up. The accessories are under the “Komplement” collection. Hope this helps…

Thank you for sharing. This is very inspirational. I am thinking about doing something very similar to my closet. My walking-in closet is long but narrow. I can have four of these PAX shelves side by side, but only on one side. I do have a side wall that is left and I plan to put in shelves for shoes. I am thinking about using Ikea’s Billy Bookcase as a shoe shelf and connect the two walls with a corner PAX shelf. Think of it as a very long “L”

The problem is that the Billy is not as deep as the PAX. So, when the PAX shelf meets the Billy, there will be a gap. The difference is almost 10″. How did you shave off the 2″ off of the PAX. Also, I’m also curious to see if you have any good ideas on how to close the gap.

Glad to be of inspiration! If the depth is an issue, why not just use another Pax unit instead of the Billy for a seamless look? Alternatively, you could float the Billy off the wall so it visually aligns. Or you could not use the Pax corner unit and instead use a narrow Billy on a catty-corner. That would allow you to bump the other Billy up to it and have the depths match (kind of like this http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29023398/) Careful when mixing Ikea pieces though – they all may seem like the same color, but they often vary slightly and when next to each other you can tell! (For instance I realized the Besta white was pretty different from Billy white in another project I did) Check before you buy! I explain in my post above how I took the 2″ in length off the Pax units. You will need to recreate the holes so it fits together (see above!) Good luck with your closet!

This is amazing! My problem is, my walk in is slightly longer, and slightly taller than the pax frames. I’m not sure how I’d solve that problem. I fear that extending the width will affect the pax organizers, and as for the gap in the height, it’s approximately 8cm, not sure if a crown moulding will cover that? Any advice?

Hi Michele – thanks! The Pax units come in different widths so you may find a different combination of units would work better for your space. As for the gap at the top, if you were to build a simple base for them (just using some 2×4’s) It would raise them up enough to close the gap. Or you could just put a chunky 5″ crown up top and leave the space so it looks more like furniture and less like a built in. There’s definitely some work arounds if you get creative with the Pax units. Good luck!

I love this closet and hope to do the same in mine. Could you describe how and where you secured the units together? And how you secured them to the wall? I can think of a couple ways to do it but your experience would be helpful. Thanks so much. -Eileen

Thanks! I secured the units together using screws that were just long enough to go through both, but not come out the other side. I did that in about 4 places. I used the holes (that are meant to hold pegs for shelves) as my starter holes. I secured them to side walls in the same way, as they sat flush against. As Ikea suggests in their Pax instructions, I also secured the Pax units to studs on the back side. Hope this helps!

Loved it!! Planning to upgrade 2 of my walk-in closets. Issue raised by Ikea consultant was i can use only 201 cm height frame since door’s height(203cm) is less that height of frame(236 cm) though i have 8 feet of ceiling. Did you assemble wardrobe outside and then slide in from door? or did assembly inside the closet? for later option is it must to to assembly on floor or it can be done vertically as well?

Thanks! Ah, the height, yes that was an issue after the first unit was in place! I had to build the other 3 units in the closet, as there would have been no maneuver room to get them in. They weren’t hard to build in place, you just need two people to do it. Good luck!

Hi Kelly,
I love what you did but when I went to the IKEA website I couldn’t find any one piece for less than 175.00 and it was only 19 5/8″ wide. At there current prices it seems that your project would cost with your measurements would cost $2,000.00 with only the PAX wardrobes. Can you tell me if I’m looking at the wrong thing or they’ve really upped their prices. 😕

Thanks! I was looking at the PAX wardrobes and they are very pricey!
About the chandelier, I went to Amazon and found it and wanted to use the frame just like you did but the measurements for the frame are 20″ x 12″ and the chandelier is 20″ x 7.3″. There were other frames and chandeliers but these were the ones your links took me to. I couldn’t find a frame with the same dimensions as the chandelier. Any ideas?

The link I provided in my last comment to you are the Pax wardrobes I used, again they are $90 each and I used 4 + adding shelves, drawers, and hanging bars. The totals above in my post are what I paid. As far as the chandelier and frame linked above in my post those are the exact products in the exact dimensions that I used. The frame goes on before installing the chandelier. See the images above for the final look.

This is absolutely amazing and I love the paint used. I’ve been a bit confused but now I’m definitely going to go with Ikea Pax. However I’m not sure about which one to get. There’s different types of white colour and different quality. Do you mind telling me which one u got pls?

Thanks so much! There’s only one white in the IKEA Pax system, the difference is the sizes. As written above, my closet required a smaller depth so I went with the 13.75″ deep Pax, at the 93 1/8″ height. Since every closet is different you’ll need to measure out which Pax will work best for you and how many you’ll need. 🙂

Love this, thanks for the inspiration.
By the way, the reason the wardrobes don’t have holes for hanging rails is if you have doors on them they are not deep enough for a hanger, so IKEA do extending hanging rails that are mounted on the back of the wardrobe.

Thanks. Actually these do fit a hanger just fine with the way I installed my hanging rail. My hangers do not touch the back and have a good amount of wiggle room. I realize that these Pax are designed for the back hanger, but that’s why it’s an Ikea Hack, I modified it to fit my needs.

I was going to ask you about this too because I was just in the store and they said the 14″ depth can’t fit hangers – but yours look awesome and id rather save the space too. You just moved the hanger rod up closer to where it fit ideally for your hanger, right?

Also, I want to just pay to have them install for me BUT if I come across the same length issue you had, I will probably need to modify it on my own and therefore won’t be able to use their install services, right? Can you share more info with me on how you recreated the side piece? You just cut it and moved it in a couple inches?

Hi Alaina! Yes, I modified the more narrow PAX to be able to use a regular rod and fit a hanger comfortably. They say it won’t work because they aren’t sold/marketed to do that (and this probably wouldn’t work if they were freestanding, not sandwiched and secured between walls), but I decided to hack it and make it work. I describe where I put the bar exactly in the post above. The hangers I used are standard size, but fit perfectly and don’t even hit the back with a little swing. As far as the modification in width, I lay out exactly how I did it in the post above. I cut off the excess, then recreated all the holes that were on the end so it would fit back together as originally designed. I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest DIY, but if you’re familiar with using a drill and have some basic building skills it’s not too difficult to figure out. Good luck!

Thank you! When it comes to the quality of IKEA Pax pax VS. other closet systems, I personally think the IKEA Pax is a little bit better quality than most. Let’s be honest, all this stuff is made of pressboard with laminate over top (even the high-end closet systems.) The real difference is in the accessories. The soft closing drawer mechanisms as well as the metal hanging bars are superb quality for the price. My closet has been in use for nearly a year and I’ve had no issues what-so-ever. Good luck with your closet project!

Thank you!! Yes, I simply brad nailed it to the top front of the pax units with my Ryobi Airstrike. It fit perfectly, right up to my 8′ ceiling. Once nailed in place I caulked the bottom and then painted it to match the units. 🙂

Of course! I believe they were 1 1/4″ 18 gauge brad nails. If you’re hammering these in, I’d go for at least a 1 1/4″ finishing nail and be sure to countersink them, then fill the hole for a seamless look! My nail gun automatically countersinks the brads, so I had to do was fill the hole. Good luck with your project!

Walkway is around 43.5″ wide. My hangers stick out about 6-ish inches into that walkway space. The height of the hanging bars was based on the size of my clothing and the level I could reach to comfortably without stretching. I would recommend figuring out that “custom measurement” for yourself as well, as you’ll find the closet will work better for you! 🙂

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